March 30, 2023

Armstrong riding high in New Zealand

Five New South Wales players make it through to the matchplay rounds of the New Zealand Amateur Championships at Remeura Golf Club, Auckland.

Josh Armstrong is enjoying a run of good form, this time finishing as co-medallist in the NZ Amateur Championship at Remuera Golf Club in Auckland.

Armstrong carded rounds of 68 and 71 to finish alongside Kiwi Tyler Wood who was a last-minute inclusion in the Championship following the postponement of the Nomura Cup in Hong Kong.

Armstrong, playing in the late morning bracket, jumped out of the gates quickly, making birdies at the first and the fourth to be two-under early in his round. Two bogeys going out meant he made the turn in even-par.

The tall Canberran’s back nine followed a similar trend, trading birdies with bogeys. A birdie on the par-five 18th moved him into red figures for the day, equalled Wood in the clubhouse.

Armstrong now faces Auckland’s Archie Gothard in the first round of match play, which begins tomorrow.

Jordie Garner was New South Wales only other qualifier after carding rounds of even-par 72 and three over 75 to finish in a tie for 16th. He will play Kiwi Kit Bittle in the first round of the matchplay.

The Blues trio of Doey Choi, Grace Kim and Stephanie Kyriacou have also breezed into the matchplay rounds of the New Zealand Women’s Amateur.

Kyriacou was the best placed of the three, carding rounds of 71 and 77 to finish the medal rounds in third place.

Kim bounced back from a disappointing 79 in the opening round, carding a neat 73 to finish in outright sixth, while Choi carded rounds of 76 and 77 to finish in a tie for seventh.

Kyriacou will face Rebekah Blackwell-Chin in the opening round of the matchplay while Kim will face Amy Im.

Choi will face Mim Guo.